Anticombustible chemical compound



Patented Mar. 22, 1938 PATENT OFFI'QE ANTIGOMBUSTIBLE CHEMICAL COM- OUND Julius Sumichrast ork No Drawing.

1 Claim.

Our invention relates to methods and meansfor fire proofing materials and to processes for preparing such means and has for its main object to provide such methods, means and proc- 5 esses which will be simple, inexpensive, expeditious to apply, efficient and lasting in use and which can be manufactured from ordinary usual chemicals in a comparatively easy and simple manner.

Another object of our invention is to provide such means and methods-which may be employed to protect various materials, like textile fabrics, wood, paper, etc.

'Still another object of our invention is to provide a chemical compound of the character indicated, which also may be used for preserving wood, paper, etc. against rotting, insects, and other harmful and destroying agents, in a similar simple, inexpensive manner.

We are aware of the fact that several chemical compounds have been made and are now used to a limited extent which claim that materials may be made fire proof by the use of materials ofthe kind referred to, but the majority of these compounds are of limited applicability and some of them contain a certain amount of organic thickening and suspending agents which interfere with the keeping qualities of suchcompounds and render their composition and concentration unreliable and liable to undesired changes of the physical and chemical properties of the material to be treated by these protecting agents, so that, for instance, in the case of fabrics and the like, they are liable to unduly increase in weight and in undesired adhesive properties, and to become sticky and hygroscopic, while the product itself is liable to fermentation and decomposition, and fails to thoroughly and uniformly impregnate and saturate the fabric on account 1 of the difiiculties referred to.

Now in accordance with our invention about to be described these and other inconveniences are avoided by treating an aqueous and similar otherwise non-ignitable solution ofwater-soluble salts with volatile organic compounds containing a chief constituent of fire quenching properties such asnitro-compounds, halogens, for instance, chlorides and the like.

Such organic ingredients have the additional advantage of not only preventing and readily extinguishing incipient flames, but of controlling moisture absorbing and wetting qualities of the textile fabric or the like to which the invention is to be applied.

In the prior art the interference of the wetting and Sandor A. Molnar, New

Application May 20, 1936, Serial N0. 80,671

properties of the fabric was one of the chief" drawbacks of the application of previous com-v pounds. It is obvious that by using this kind of organic ingredients instead of gums or similar organic compounds heretofore used, the decomposition and undesired loading of the fabric are also prevented, and there is the additional advantage that the thickening and body of the compound depend on the presence of inorganic constituents which, dissolvingsomewhat sparingly in the solvents, will readily form a protective covering upon being exposed to an increase of temperature. A compound which will readily respond to these requirements is the silicate of alkali usually known as water-glass This, in combination with ordinary anti-combustion, soluble salts and alkaline solvents and in the presence of flame extinguishing organic constituents which increase the wetting properties will readily produce the covering which it is sought to create by all fire extinguishing methods upon the fabric and the like.

However, as suggested in the prior art such and similar salts imparted a certain, sometimes undesirable amount of hygroscopicity to the dried residual coating and a lack of smoothness of the fabric or similar article treated and owing to the insolubility of some reaction products these components and their reaction products with the textile sizes in the case of tissue fabrics and the like were unevenly distributed and failed to completely protect the material treated. Now, in accordance with our invention it has been ascertained that these drawbacks will be over come by an addition of non-inflammable substantially commercially pure volatile, liquid hydrocarbon preferably alkyl-chlorides, such as for instance carbon-tetrachloride, ethylene-dichloride and the like, which act as a dispersing phase for the suspension and distribution of the inorganic, preferably alkaline, solutions and as a solvent and dispersing phase for the size usually contained in the textile, paper and other mate rials treated. Of the agents mentioned, the tetra-chloride is known to be open to some decomposition in the presence of alkaline liquids, particularly if slightly heated with the formation of some carbonic acid which aids in the formation and distribution of the coating. In another exemplification these results are assisted by making use of a mixture of, for instance, two different alkyl-chlorides of different boiling points. Owing to the comparatively very low boiling point of the ethylene-dichloride (12,5

deg. C.) a very uniform distribution and a thorough solution of the sizing matter is produced.

While our invention is broadly distinguished by the features above referred to and it is not limited to any particular fire extinguishing compounds or to certain proportions, we herewith, with a view of facilitating its application will explain its use by a preferred example without however intending to restrict the invention to this particular mode of application.

Of soluble anti-combustion salts, we may use the following:

Soluble salts of alumina, ammonia, boric acid in combination with silicate of alkali and in the presence of carbon tetrachloride, ethylene dichloride and the like. These constituents may be employed in the following proportions and in the following manner by way of example:

5 grams of aluminum sulphate dissolved in 2 ozs. of water of ordinary temperature, 15 grams of ammonium sulphate in 5 ozs. of water, 25 grams of ammonium chloride in 8 ozs. of water, 1 gram sodium borate (borax) in 1 oz. of water, 1 gram boric acid in 1 oz. of water and 5 grams of potassium silicate dissolved in about c. c. of water of moderate temperature of about 90-100 deg. F. (32 to 38 deg. C.).

All these ingredients may be dissolved and mixed together or they may be dissolved and mixed in different stages. Thus, for instance, we may proceed by first mixing the salts, so as to obtain a solvent which will facilitate the dissolving of the subsequently added potassium. silicate which does not dissolve as readily as the other constituents.

Then we add the organic ingredients viz: 5 c. 0. carbon tetrachloride and 5 c. c. ethylene dichloride.

The resulting mixture is preferably slightly heated to a temperature of about deg. F.

(15 deg.) under constant stirring or shaking for not less than fifteen minutes, whereupon it may be allowed to rest and cool. Ordinarily, the somewhat turbid liquid which results, inasmuch as there are no coarse injurious constituents may be used in the unfiltered condition. But, it is obvious, that in the case of solid impurities filtration may be resorted to.

To illustrate a preferred process and practice of our invention, we first take, in a quantitative embodiment thereof, five grams. of aluminum sulphate and dissolve the same in two ozs. of water of ordinary temperature, then we take fifteen grams of ammonium sulphate and dissolve it in five ozs. of water, finally, we take twenty to twenty-five grams of ammonium; chloride and dissolve it in eight ozs. of water, and we mix the three separate solutions so obtained, whereby a first mixture or element of our compound is produced.

Now we take one gram of sodium borate (borax) and dissolve it in one oz. of water, and we also take one gram of boric acid and dissolve the same in one oz. of water, whereupon these two solutions will be also mixed with one another producing a second element or mixture of our compound.

Then we take five grams of potassium silicate and dissolve it in fifty cubic centimeters moderately warm water of about 90-100 degrees E, which will be the third element of our compound.

The three solutions or elements will now be mixed together and the following further ingredients added to them:

Five cubic centimeters carbon tetrachloride liquid and five cubic centimeters ethylene dichloride liquid.

, The resulting final mixture will be slightly heated to about sixty degrees F. under constant strong stirring and agitation and kept at that temperature and agitated for not less then fifteen minutes, whereupon it will be allowed to cool and rest. The mixture will now be filtered and the resulting final product stored in a cold place.

Certain limited proportions of the carbon chlorides may be absorbed by the aqueous liquids and this fact will greatly assist in regulating the moisture absorbing properties of the fabric and will act as a suspending agent preventing the precipitation of any undesired proportions of silicic acid that may have been formed by decomposition. This will also give the much desired and valued touch or feel to the fabric without loading it unduly.

In View of these facts it is obvious that a short immersion of the fabric in the liquid or spraying it with the liquid for a few minutes will be suificient to impregnate it thoroughly with the liquid without imparting undesired qualities thereto which would interfere with the usual applicability.

The compound may be similarly applied to fireproofing of wood, and to the protection of other organic and inorganic material against the effects of undesired increase of temperature. As another important kind of application, we may mention the protection of documents and of the writing thereon against the effects of the change of temperature, of still other modes of application we may mention the use of the compound against destruction by worms and other vermin.

While we have described a preferred compositionof and a preferred method of preparing our anticombustive chemical compound, it is to be understood that changes and variations may be resorted to in the details of the composition and in the steps of the process for preparing the same, and we reserve our right to all such changes and variations which are within the spirit of this specification and the scope of the claim hereunto appended.

What we claim as new, is:

A fireproofing material comprising 5 grams of aluminum sulphate, 15 grams of ammonium sulphate, 20 to 25 grams of ammonium chloride, 1 gram of sodium borate (borax), 1 gram of boric acid, all substantially dissolved in water, in the presence of 5 grams of potassium silicate, and 5 c. 0. each of carbon-tetrachloride and of ethylene-dichloride, respectively both these ingredients being substantially commercially pure and free from dissolved matter.

JULIUS SUMICHRAST. SANDOR A. MOLNAR- 

